Railway



13 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. V. MEIGS.

(No Model.)

RAILWAY- Patentedf- Mar. 10, 1885.

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. J. V. MEIGS.

RAILWAY.

No. 313,830. Patented Mar.. 10, 1885.

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Patented Mar. 10, 1885.

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(No-Model.)

Patented Mar. 1o', 1885.

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' RAILWAY.

Patentd Mar. 10, 1885.

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RAILWAY. No'. 313,830. Patented Mar. 10, 1885i.4

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RAILWAY.

No. 313,830. Patented Mar. 1o, 1885.A

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RAILWAY. No; 313,830. Patented Mar. 10, 1885.

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RAILWAY. A No.`313,830. Patented Mar. 10, 1885.

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J. V. MEIGS. RAILWAY.

No. 313,830. I Patented Mar. 10,1885.

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www /WLW Nrrsn STATES JOE V. MIGS, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

RAILWAY.

SFECIEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,830, dated March 10,1885.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOE V. MEIGS, of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and 'State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Railways, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciiication in explaining its nature.

This invention relates to the way and truck system of post-supported railways, and is intended to provide a girder and truck system for such railways interdependent on each other, and in which the truck attached to the car shall be locked upon the girder, so as to prevent deralment. The girder carries four rails or surfaces on which the wheels revolve, and the truck has four or more wheels. The way is composed of five principal composite parts-namely, the foundation, the posts, the girder, the rails, and switch. The truck is composed of three principal composite partsnamely, the truck-frame, the bearing-wheels in their arrangement upon the truck-frame, and the friction-wheels, also mounted in the truclcframe. Such trucks being useless for the ordinary form of railway, and only practicable with this form of way as they ride astride the girder, and this form of way being only adapted to receive this special form of trucks, it will be seen that the whole constitutes an invention having a single purpose.

In the drawings, Sheet l shows the foundation and lower portion of the supporting-posts. Sheet 2 shows the upper portion of the posts and the girder. Sheet 3 contains a sketch plan of the switch. Sheets 4 and 5 represent details of the switch. Sheet 6 shows a modiication of the girder and truss adapted to be made mainly of wood. Sheet 7 contains an end elevation and a side elevation ofthe truck, showing its adjustment upon the girder. Sheet 8 contains atop plan and a cross-section of the truck system, showing its adjustment upon the gir-der. Sheets 9 and 10 contain various details of the truck system and its wheels and their adjustment. vSheets 11 and 12 contain modifications of the girder and its details shown in Sheet 2, adapting the girder to electrical motive force transmitted on the rails,

' which is a method of fastening the rail on the wood, so that the screws for fastening shall not be loosened or disturbed. Sheet 13 shows the truck when arranged with vertical carrying-wheels.

Three different forms of foundation are given in Sheet 1. Figure 1 is a vertical section, and Fig. 6 a horizontal section, of one form. Fig. 2 is a vertical section, and Fig. 7 is a horizontal section, of another form, and Fig. is a perspective of the cap of this second forni, which comes above the ground. Fig. 3 is a vertical section, and Fig. 8 a horizontal section, of still another form of setting. Fig. 4 is the cap of this third form.

The post A which is to be set is by preference of substantially rectangular form, and is preferably composed of two channel-bars, ff, and two plates, e e, riveted or fastened together along the flanges of the channel-bars and the edges of the plates in an ordinary way. This post has provided for it to rest upon at the bottom either a plate, c, of somewhat larger area than the post, as shown in Figs. l and 3, or a similar plate, c", as shown in Fig. 2, which has an upwardly-presenting boss, which enters into the interior of the post; but any approved form of post may be used, `vor any approved method ofsetting, if the truck and track system be used, without departing from the spirit of my invention. I have, however, considered these forms of posts and modes of setting most advantageous. These posts may be used hollow as made, or they may be filled with concrete b', or with sand or other non-compressible filling, as shown in Fig. 2, in the wayknown and practiced by engineers for many years. These posts are preferably set in and on a concrete foundation. If this foundation is to be upon soft earth, I propose to pack the earth, as shown in Fig. 6, by driving piles all around the place where I am to set the column, as shown, and fill between and over them, if necessary. The piles are marked cin Figs. 1 and G. Where it is not considered necessary to do this, and it will hardly be in well consolidated ground, I simply fill the post-hole with concrete or broken stone below, as shown in Figs. 2 and 7. I may or may not brace the post in any instance at the surface of the ground by IOO l the girder on the posts.

means ofthe cap d or d. (Shown in Figs. 4 and 5.) These caps may he made of cast or of wrought iron. They are in two partsand are fastened together, as shown in the drawings, by ears which screw up, so as to get a iirin bearing against the concrete. If desired, they may be bolted through the post, as shown at h, Figs. 3 and 4, or may simply tit upon it, as shown in Fig. 5. As one service of these caps is to guard the post and concrete from the weather and from abrasion and injury by passing vehicles, it is obvious that for this. purpose they may be made of wood or other suitable material. There the ground gives a good foundation, but the surface-soil is mobile, as in the Mississippi valley and elsewhere, side thrusts are not well resisted, and in such cases I line the inside ot' the post-hole with a stout resistant boxing or lining ot' iron or wood, as shown at g, Figs. 3 and 8, and ll this with concrete or sand inclosed between concrete ends, and thus form a firm and strong side support to the post, practically increasing its section below the ground many times. The posts illustrated in these drawings are supposed to be about eleven inches by ten in transverse area, and to be set in the ground deep enough to secure stability with at least afoot ot' concrete beneath them. Such posts at a'distance ot' forty-tive feet apart will be amply sutiioient to carry a girder capable ot' supporting substantially such trains as are now in general use at a height otatleast fourteen feet from the ground to the bottom ot' the girder. The posts are supposed to be made of about one halfinch iron, and greater strength can be given to them, ot' course, by increasing the quantity ofiron,.and,it' necessary, the horizontal areaot' the posts, or by internal bracing.

Sheet 2 illustrates thegirder. Fig. 9 shows its adjustment upon the posts. f Fig. lOshows the bearing-brackets to be used beneath it. Fig. 11 is a side elevation of a post and portions of the girder. Fig. 12 is an illustration ofthe upper boom ofthe girder, showing its rails. Fig. 13 is a perspective of the diagonal braces of the girder. g

Sheets 11 and l2 relate to modifications of the girder for electric motive power already referred to. Fig. 47 shows the adjustment of Fig. 50 is a duplicate of Fig. 10. Fig. 48 is a modiiieation of the details of Fig. 11. Fig. 49 shows an I- shaped brace instead of the channel forni of Fig. 13. Fig. 14 is aplan which shows upon the-right side the girder looking down upon the upper boom, and upon the left side the lower boom of the girder, the upper boom being removed. Fig. 15 is an expansion-joint which connects the booms oi' the girders with the posts. Fig. 51, Sheet 11, is a plan llooking down on the top of the upper boom of the moditied form, and Fig. 52 is aplan illustrating the lower boom with the upper boom and braces removed.

In Sheet 12, Fig. 53 is a perspective showing how the -rails of the upper boom are insulated, an expansion splice provided, and a continuous electrical conductor maintained. Fig. 54 illustrates the construction for an electrical road of the stringers and rails of the lower boom.` Figs. 55, 56,VV 58, and 59 show how the expansion slots may be made, and the bolt-heads sealed up in them secure from rattling out. Fig. 57 shows an insulated conducting-plate at the splice of the rails in section. Fig. 61 is another form of the same withoutaslip-joint; and Fig. showsapartlysealed bolt-head in an expansion slot. At the proper height for resting the lower boom of the girder the bracketangle-ironsare bolted onto each post, and on these irons the lower portion ot the girder rests. The upper boom of the girder rests upon the extreme top of the post, and through the diagonal braces supports the road earriedon the lower boom of the girder. The girder is composed ofa lower boX-boom, C, an upper boxboom, B, and of diagonal braces D between them, Sheet 2, or D', Sheet 11. The lower boX-boon1 is coinposed, as shown in Fig. 9, of the two plates K Kv and two channel-bars, Z Z, firmly riveted together. It is intended to embed in the eX- terior recess of the channel-bars wooden beams m m, which may be single sticks, as in Sheet 2, or composite beams made up ot' several pieces, as in Sheet 11. lIhese wooden beams act as rail-stringers. In order to bring the entire strength ot' the iron into play these beams m are riveted on crosswise of the girder at intervals of about two feet, the T-brackets a composed, as showuin Figs. 1() and 50, of two angle-irons, back to back, or, it desired, of a rolled T-iron.

In the angle formedvby the upper plate, K, oi' the box, beam, or boom G, with the channel-bars Z on its outslde, angle-irons o are also bolted. These angleirons may be made a good deal deeper than shown, so as to considerably stiften the girder and serve as attachments for the braces D, or attachment-plates p for the braces D may be inserted atproper intervals and riveted to the angle-irons o and to the braces D, and these attach ment-plates may be'ot' any proper form, as the rectangle ofFig.11, or the trapezoid ofFig. 48. These braces D are made, as shown in Fig. 13, of two angle-irons and a plate, or as channelbars, or as I-beams D, Figs. 48, 49. rIhey are also attached to the upper boom of the girder bythe attachment-platesp. The upper boom, B, ofthe girder is also a box-boom composed of two channel bars, Z Z, and two exterior angleirons, K K, and this may be re-ent'orced by angle-irons r r, all well riveted together; and it carries in the recess formed by the exterior angle-irons thestriuger-beams mm for supporting the rails, as described. Ot course these beams m and m may be made of solid or compound sticks of timber, on which the rail angle-irons or iiat plateiirons may be fastcned, or if the work is light they may be used without rail-iron. rlhese booms may be braced IOO or not, as the posts are close or farther apart. An expansionjoint may be formed at the end of these upper booms, as shown iii Fig. 15, in which D is the brace, p the plate which coniiects the brace to the said upper boxbooin. S is a bracket iirml y riveted to the post, and having slots of sufficient length to allow for the ordinary expansion, through which the bolts pass connecting t-he plate p and bracket S, so as to guide the slip. The lower surface of the upper box-boom, as before described, rests upon a terminal plate at the top of the post, which thus takes its weight, so that these brackets in the slip-joint serve only as guides. Fig. 12 is a variation of this upper box-boom, made up ofthe lower plate, g, of`

the two lateral channel-bars of unequal flanges K2 K2, and oi' a top plate, Z2. The rails of this structure are four in number. The two bearing-rails' which carry the load of the car are angle-irons placed upon the outer upper edge ofthe stringers in. rlhey are marked t in the drawings, and they are fastened, as shown, through from side to side to each other, to the Stringer-beams, and to the lower booms of the girder by througlii-all bolts a, or maybe fastened, when electricity is to be used, simply to the wooden stringers, as hereinafter described. Tlie upper boom also carries two vertical rails for the balancing or friction wheels, lettered L2 t2, and are similarly held to the stringers and booin by the @hl-Oughu bolts a2; but when electricity is used as amotor these tliroughall bolts may tasten the wooden stringrs together and be insulated from the rail, wI 'ch may be fastened directly to the wooden stri iger, or may be further insulated, it' deeinedi necessary. These upper rails, it will be seen, project over the line of posts and braces, or have a small recess beneath them, under which the anges of the horizontal wheels run to securely lock the truck upon the track. The horizontal distance from the outside to the outside between the lower rails is intended to be about twentytwo inches, and the upper rails about eighteen inches for trains ofthe ordinary weights, and the depth et' the girder would be about four feet.

Sheet 8 shows a plan of the switch. Fig. 16 is a sketch plan of the switch, in which F is the main vay. F and F2 are the branches with which the main way is to be alternately connected. IThe switch is a girder hinged at H, which runs on a track, J, extending transversely between the branch tracks F F2. vIt is swung from one to another by means of ragchains and sprocket-wheels, or in any other suitable way,and locked in position by a locking device. The details of the construction ot' this switch may be seen in Sheets t and 5, in which Fig. 17 is a side elevation of the hinge end ot' the swinging girder, and` Fig. 17il a side elevation of the locking end of the swinging girder. Fig. 1S illustrates the connection of the rag-chain with the end of the girder and its carriage. Fig. 19 is a plan showing on the left-hand side the hinged end and on the right-hand side the locking end in plan, and Fig. 20 is an end elevation of thepost and swinging girder, showing the method ot' locking and unlocking and one of the rageliains and sprocket-wheels for niovinglthe switch. Fig. 2l is a longitudinal section ot' the locking end. Fig. 22 is an enlarged view of the pivot or hinge of the girder in longitudinal vertical section. Fig. 23 is an end elevation of the post and swinging girder at its locking end. Fig. 24 is a plan of the top of the hinge end. Fig. 25 is a vertical section of the hinge end on a plane transverse to that shown in Fig. 22. rlhe hinge is strongly bracketed out from the post at the end ot' the main way F, as shown in Fig. 17, and consists of a series of iron plates arranged concentrieally around the pivot-pin h4. One halt' ot' these plates are attached to the swinging girder and one halt' to the post. One haltl a're made with a convex end, and one half with a concave end, as shown in Fig. 17. The convex-ended plates arelarger than those with concave ends. The series on the girder is composed ot' alternate layers of concaveended and convex-ended plates and the series on the post of alternate layers of convexended and coneaveended plates, and when put together the convex end ot'a plate on the girder or post l[its against the concave end ot' a plate on t-he post orgirder. This hinge is, therefore, composed ot' a pair ot' counterpart members, each consisting ot' a pile ot' plates alternately long and short in one member and short and long in the other. rEhe ends of the long plates are cut on the salient are ot' a circle concentric with the hole for the pintle h4, and are thus convex, and the ends of the short plates are cut on the re-entering are of a similar circle, and are thus concave. They are not, however, dishcd in any degree, but are convex and concave cylindrically and not spherieally. Each convex-ended plate is pierced at its center, and a stout pintle, It", passes through all the holes, and thus forms a strong hinge. (Shown in longitudinal vertical section in Fig. 22 and in transverse vertical section at Fig. 25.) The girder swings around this hinge, firmly supported upon it, so as to make a small angle at the point lil. (Shown in Fig. 16, Plate 3.) Fach end of the switch-girder is provided with a vertical piece, h5, to serve as its terminal vertical brace. At the locking end ot' the swinging girder the branch tracks of course terminate on posts, and between these posts is mounted on strong brackets an ordinary deck-beam, as shown in Fig. 21 at e and in Fig. 19 in plan. The girder rests upon a carriage, which is provided with a long roller at each end, so that the movenient in are of the end ot' the girder may be accommodated upon the chord of thearc made by the rail n. ln order to move this girder, a

hand-wheel is mounted upon one ot' the posts, as shown in Fig. 2O at cl, which carries upon its shaft a sprocket-wheel, d, driving a rag- IOO IIO

chain, d3, which engages with another sprocket-wheel, d, all as shown in Fig. 20. rlhis sprocket-wheel d* carries upon its shaft a cam, d5, which operates upon the end of a bent lever, d, and serves to drive the cam-bolt dl, which withdraws the locking-latch. By reference to Fig. 17 it will be seen that this latch is provided with a wedge-cam, d3, at each end, which wedge-cam enters a loop of a springlatch, ci, and withdraws it from engagement with the girder. his detail is seen more readily in Fig. 2l. The sprocket-wheel d* carries upon its axisanothcr sprocket-wheel,

vwhich drives another rag-chain, d10, which second rag-chain, d10, engages with the switchgirder I-I by means ot' a slotted link, d, the

lost motion of which slotted link in reversing the gear is sufiicient to allow the latch to be withdrawn before any strain is brought to bear to move the girder. This detail will be better understood from Fig. 23. An automatic method of operating thc switch by a moving train will forni the subject of an independent patent. The construction ot' the hinge will also bc very readily understood from Fig. 22 ofthe drawings.

Sheet 6 shows the manner of constructing a wooden Howe truss with the bearing-rails on the lower boom and the balancing-rails on the upper boom, andwhich maybe set on wooden posts of anyshape. The details of this construction will readily be understood from the drawings, Figs. 26, 27, 2S, 29, 30and 31,with out letters of reference. By increasing the number of posts it will readily be seen thatV the bracing or trussing between the two booms of the girder may be dispensed with.`

By reference to Sheets 11 and 12 the modification requisite to enable the rails to be used as insulated electric conductors will be understood. The rail-stringers m m on the outer edges ofthe upper and lower beams should be built onv composite beams, those sections next the girder fastened to it by the throughall bolts, and the exterior sections fastened to the interior sections by bolts or screws. This would give a wooden or other proper insulation, and will be understood from Fig. 52, Sheet 11, where m represents thc stringer, a the through-all bolts, i theinsulatingsection, which may be ot' wood, rubber, gutta-percha, or other proper materiahand t* the splice plate for securing metallic connection in the raitjoints.

As it will be necessary to make slipjoint connections between the rails and the spliceplates, the details ot' such connections are shown on Sheet 12. iu which Fig. 53 rcpre- 'sents a Stringer and rail-joint ot' the upper boom, and Fig. 54c a stringer and rail-joint of the lower boom. The splice-plate tis bedded in the stringer and bolted to it, and the rails t t2 are bolted to the splice-plate through slotted sealed holes. Figs. 55, 56, 57, 53, 59, 60, and 61 show how this is done. This construction locks the fastenings down. Anundcr cut is made in the rail longitudinally by a chisel in two directions, as shown, Fig. 55, and the iron ilanged upward. A hole is neXt drilled in the rail and enlarged to a slot bya traveling rcamcr, as seen in Figs. 56 and 53. \Vhen the rail is laid, a screw is driven through this slot into the spliceplate t4, as shown in Fig. 57, and the flanges turned down again, as shown in section, Fig. 57, and in plan, Figs. 59 an?, 60, one flanged and turned at the sides. The other is cut under'at the end. Provided the screw through the spliceplate does not touch thc metal oft-he girder, it may be driven into the timber, as shown, Fig. Gl, without breaking thc insulation.

In order to use this first part of the invention, the way, in the construct-ion of a permanent way for a railroad-namely, a girder having two bearing-rails, one on each side of the lower boom oli the girder, and two balA ancing or friction rails, one on each side of the upper boom ot' the girder-and to employ this girder so constructedsuitably, I have a peculiar form ot' truck, the details ot' which and its relation to the girder are shown in Sheets 7, S, 9, 10, and 13 ot' the drawings. Fig. 32 is an end elevation, and Fig. 33 is a side elevation, ot this contrivance as adjusted for use. a section.

An iron frame is made, as shown in section in Fig. 35, which consists ofaplatforruframe, 1, carrying on its upper surface what is in substance the lower member ot' a fifth-wheel, 2, Fig. 34, which engages with the carriage part of the fifth-wheel 3, Fig. 31, on which the carriage is arranged, and these two members oi' the vtii'th-wheel connect by an overhanging guide, so that the carriage is locked to the truck as well as the truck to the track. This platform has two vertical iianges, 4, which come down on each side ofthe girder, and are provided with diagonal braces 5 on the outside. These diagonal braces are at the two ends of the truck-platform l, as shown in Fig. 33, and are provided with bosses 6,V which run through to the vertical flanges and carry the axles ot' the inclined bearing-wheels. The particular mechanical details of this construe tion are reserved for an application for another patent. The bearing or carrying wheels which I prcl'er are inclined, but may be vertical, and are' marked 7, and their edges are shaped to tit the angle ot' the hearing-rails t on the lower boom of the girder upon which they roll. The wheels are independent of each other.

Instead of the wheel being inclined and on the outside of the brace 5, it may loe vertical and on the inside ot` iiange 4, and the axle and axle-boss would then be horizontal and the wheel ot' ordinary form, with its flange outside, as shown in Sheet 13, Fig. 6l, but I prefer inclined wheels, as more stable and resisting strains better. Intermediate between these carrying-wheels 7 are placed horizontally, close to the truck-platform, the frictionwheels 3. (Shown in Figs. 32, 33, 34, and 35,

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and in Sheet 13.) These friction-wheels are shaped much like an ordinary car-wheel, and have their flanged sides downward; or they may be doubleflanged, for the purpose of locking down the truck to the girder. Their axes are vertical, and are placed, as shown in Figs. 34 and 35, in sliding boxes, so that they may be brought to bear against the vcrtical tracks of the upper boom of the girder with great force, either by pressure of springs, as shown at the right hand of Fig. 35, or by hydraulic or other positive pressure. These horizontal wheels 8 are used to balance the car against side strains from centrifugal force, wind, and the like, and are also employed as brake and driving wheels of the train, the sliding boxes being simultaneously moved inward and outward, as desired for either purpose, either by the system of spring-pressure to throw the friction on and positive pressure to take it off, or by the system of positive pressure to throw the friction on and springs to relieve it. Vhen used as brakes, springpressure to throw the friction on is the best, and for draft purposes a regulatable pressure to throw the friction on or off is preferable. These springs also give elasticity to the side wheels. The motive power may be applied to the axles of these wheels in any ordinary and known manner-as, for 'inst-ance, by a crank on the axle carried up to the platform, and connected with an engine mounted upon the platform, or by a dynamo-inachine, as shown in Sheet 13, Fig.' 63, connected with the axle, or by any ordinary form of motor 0r motive power.

Fig. 6l is an end elevation, and Figs. 62 and 63 detail views, ofthe truck'and motor.

Sheet 9 shows, in Fig. 36, a method of building the wheels in sections, of wood or paper, with metallic faces and a metallic tire bolted on. Fig. 37 shows the box and journal of the wheels and how the journal is applied to the projection from the truck-platform,which method of applying is shown in plan at Fig. 40. Fig. 39 is a side elevation of the interior construction of a sectional plate forming a part of a wooden wheel. Fig. 3S shows in front elevation the wheel journal or axle area and its attachment to the diagonal brace 6, already referred to, and Fig. 4l is a top view of the same attachment. `Fig. 42 is a cross-section of the journal and its box at 0 x, Fig. 37. Fig. 43 shows the journal sliding box and spring of the horizontal wheels when used for brake-wheels, and to provide for yielding at variations of the way. Fig. 44 is a detail of the lower surface ofthe hub end of one of these horizontal wheels taken at x x, Fig. 43, showing balls arranged in grooves to ease the friction, and Figs. 44a and 44b are details of the same. Fig. 45 is a horizontal sec- Fig.

tion of the sliding box and its spring. 46 is a side elevation of the wheel.

The details of the construction of this apparatus will form the subject of applications for future patents.

The advantage of using the horizontal wheels for brake and draft is that the power is thus brought close to the load.

In using trackconveyed electricity as a motive power, slack cables may be used to carry the current round the slip-joints from girder to girder or at broken points.

Of course this invention would be practiced if the carrying-rails were bracketed on the outside of the girder between the booms, the object being to get a low point of support with a high-placed abutment for draft and brake power.

lVhat l claim now as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-n l. In a post-supported railway, a girder carrying four tracks at two different levels, the two which support the carrying-wheels at or near the upper horizontal and outer vertical surfaces of the lower boom, and two which take the bearing and grip of the drivingbrake and balancing-wheels at or near the vertical outer surface of the upper boom, substantially l as and for the purposes described.

2. A truck for a post-supported railway provided with two sets of wheels, each set severally at different levels and revolving in different planes-viz., carrying-wheels which support theload at the low level and frictionwheels at the high level-whereby the load rests on a low plane of support, and draft or brake power is applied horizontally on a higher plane and nearer the load to sustain, balance, and move the carriage, substantially as described.

3. A post-supported railway and railway track having the combination of lower rails which carry the load, bearing-wheels which roll upon said lower rails, upper vertical rails for the application of draft and braking power and to receive side thrusts, horizontal wheels to bear against said Lipper rails, and a truck which straddles the framegirder andl carries such wheels and also supports the body of the carriage upon it-s upper platform, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the horizontal wheels having a peripheral flange at their lower side with the vertical rails of the upper boom of the girder made to project over said flange, substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. The combination of a straddling truck,in clined carrying-wheels, and a girder carrying out-side bearing-rails low down on the girder, substantially as described.

.Ton v. tintes.

`Witnessesa F. F. RAYMOND, 2d, FRED. B. DoLAN.

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